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I think it’s about time that I shared the story behind my website and blog name. For a long time I’d been using my name as my brand and every time it was time to rework and/or rebrand I really didn’t like seeing my name all over everything. It felt uncomfortable in a lot of ways. To be honest I hadn’t really given much thought to be calling myself by anything else but my name and it had worked. This time, though, I needed something better. I needed something that showed the intentions behind my work and my creative journey.
Beautifully Functional was something that I kept coming back to. I know it’s not the most wowing or awesome name around and, possibly, it could be a bit generic, but I feel that it describes what I want to see in the world. I want to promote seeing that even if we are just functioning, that is still beautiful. Everyone is going at their own pace and in their own portion of the journey we call life. There doesn’t need to be such a strive for perfection. I’ve tried and it definitely didn’t make me happy. It was torture and stress constantly trying to pick apart and perfect every aspect of my life and creativity.
So I’ve branded my design freelancing Beautifully Functional Design and my blog The Wholehearted and Beautifully Functional Blog. I wanted to encourage others that they don’t need to be reaching lofty goals or doing things perfectly, as they say, done is better than perfect. Whatever effort we are putting towards our goals is something worthwhile.
Wholehearted: a word used by Brené Brown to describe living life vulnerable and present.
Beautifully Functional: I use to describe living life on a mental awareness journey. Sometimes it's only functional and sometimes it’s beautiful but overall it’s the gestalt of being beautifully functional. It doesn’t describe an end goal, just always striving to live a beautifully functioning existence with yourself and others. This is a place where the process is important.
I’m still unsure where this blog will go, but I’m here for the ride. All I want is to share my journey (with its many rabbit trails and backtracking) to show others that there is beauty in the functional. But, to be perfectly honest, I’m writing this as much for myself as I am for anyone else. I need this blog, probably more than anyone who actually reads my ramblings.
Because I need to know that being functional is still beautiful. I need to know that it's OK to not be OK. I need to hear/see my own voice thrown back to me as written words (it helps me process). I need to see that I can love myself the way that I have loved others. I need to see that I am taking care of myself just as I have taken care of others. I need to know that taking care of yourself includes sitting with uncomfortable emotions...and feelings about those uncomfortable emotions. And all of this is OK, normal, even.
I want to be able to say what needs saying and open the door for more nuanced conversations about everything from hot button issues to just how someone's day was. I want to feel able to share opinions without feeling like I’m pulling a pin and throwing in the grenade. I want to open my heart to holding space for even those that don’t share my opinions, to meet them where they are and have conversation, not yelling matches that call for a change of their opinion. We are all humans, let us not forget to love each other!
with <3
—A Recovering Design Imposter
PS. For no reason outside of cuteness here is a timelapse of a teacup Bantha I drew whom I have named Fodda. Isn't he adorable? (Ok, maybe one further reason: Art prints are available on my shop, here)